Condiment-dispenser.



C. CORNELL.

CONDIMENT DISPENSER.

APPLICATION FJLED FEB. 5, 1916.

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Application filed February 5, 1916., Serial Nattfitt.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that ll, CHRISTOPHER CORNELL,

- Dispenser, of which the following 1s a specification.

This invention is a dispenser for condiments, such as salt, pepper, powdered sugar, etc., and the object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device for these articles which will be moisture-proof, easy to manipulate, and one which will discharge the condiment directly upon the article to be seasoned without necessitating the inverting of the device.

A further object is to provide, in a dispenser of the class described, improved,

means whereby the salt or other condiment is delivered in a finely pulverized condition, so that any lumps which-may be in the device will be ground up or pulverized during the dispensing operation, and will not be deposited in lump form upon the article or retained in such form in the receptacle.

Objects and features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

In the accompanying drawing T have illustrated one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction shown therein is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

The figure shows a condiment dispenser embodying the present invention. The dispenser is shown partly in central section and partly in elevation, in the interest of clearness.

Referring t the drawing, A indicates th body or receptacle portion of the dispenser, which portion is preferably made of glass or porcelain. Body A is provided with a shell-like base B, preferably formed of celluloid, aluminum, or other metal, and has a cover or top C, which may be of any desired form or material. It is understood that, while these parts are shown as made separately and assembled, said parts might be formed integral, as from a single glass mold.

In the embodiment of the invention shown, a partition D is positioned across the bottom of receptacle A and is held in placeby bottom shell B. Centrally disposed 1n said partition D is an aperture cl, which forms the outlet or discharge opening of receptacle A, and with this opening d cooperates a valve E by which the discharge of the condiment from receptable A is controlled or regulated. Valve E has a threaded interior with which cooperates a threaded valve stem 6, which extends upwardly through receptacle A and is provided at its upper end with an enlarged, integral plug or finger-piece e'. Plug e is mounted for longitudinal movement in a sleeve 0, forming part of cover C. The base of plug e forms an offset or shoulder o with which cooperates a compression spring f coiled about valve stem 6, and the lower end of which spring seats upon a partition F held in place between cover C and body' A. Spring f serves to normally elevate valve stem 6 and seat valve E in discharge opening (1, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby normally precluding the discharge of the condiment through said opening. However, when it is desired to dispense the condiment, plug 6 may be depressed by the finger or thumb, while the dispenser is held in position over the platter or plate containing the material to be seasoned, such depression of the plug serving to simultaneously depress the valve into the position shown in full lines in Fig. 1. That is tosay, pressure on the plug will serve to open the valve and allow of the discharge of the condiment.

As is often the case, the condiment contains lumps which, in the ordinary salt or pepper shaker, are not broken up during the dispensing operation, but remain in the receptacle. According to the present invention, however, valve E is provided with annular circumferential ribs or beads g, and discharge aperture 03 is, preferably, also provided with correspondingly shaped ribs or beads 9, so that the movement of the valve, through the discharge opening, serves to grind up the lumps between ribs 9 and g, whereby the salt or other condiment is dispensed in a finely pulverized condition. The operation of grinding the lumps, as described, is facilitated by having the outer contour of the valve substantially cylindrical and making discharge opening 66 ofcorresponding configuration. Moreover, instead of forming the discharge opening as merely specification of Letters ltatent. Patented mpg, jtmlfi an aperture in plate I), said plate is turned down in the form of a flange about the open ing, so that a plurality of ribs 9 may be formed thereon, as the greater the number of ribs;:"which may be formed thereon, the finer the salt will be ground. The portion of valve E which serves to seal the discharge opening is in the form of a shoulder or abutment c'-', near the lower end of the valve, which, when the valve is raised under the tension of spring f, abuts or seats against the lower edge of discharge 0 enin d.

As hereinbefore stated, t ere 1s a threaded connection between valve E and its stem e, and this threaded connection allows of the ready adjustment of the parts. That is to say, the degree to which the valve may be opened by pressure on the finger-piece, as well as the tension placed upon spring f, may be regulated. Moreover, in the filling of receptacle A, the device may be inverted, valve Ereadily unscrewed from its stem e, and the condiment poured into the receptacle through discharge opening 03. After the filling operation is completed, valve E is once more screwed into position, whereupon it will be immediately automatically closed by spring f as soon as the finger-piece is released. When the valve is detached, however, finger-piece e and its stem e may be readily withdrawn through sleeve 0 at the top of the receptacle, for the purpose of cleaning, or the like, but, when the parts are assembled, they cannot get out of adjustment or become strained or broken. Topreclude excess pressure on spring f during the dispensing operation, as wel as to definitely limit the opening of the valve during any particular adjustment, plug or finger-piece e is provided at its upper end with an enlarged portion 6 which seats upon the upper edge of sleeve 0, thereby limiting the degree to which the parts may be depressed.

It will be manifest from the foregoing description that the device of the present invention is extremely simple in construction, positive in its operation, and easily manipulated. The condiment is housed within chamber or receptacle A and is, when the dispenser is idle, substantially hermetically sealed, so that dampness, dust, or other foreign matter or material cannot enter the chamber and pollute or dampen the contents thereof. Moreover, the spring, which would naturally be made of metal, does not come into contact with the salt or other condiment, and will, therefore, not corrode, as would otherwise be the case. Moreover, the parts from which the device is formed may be easily and cheaply manufactured and assembled, thereby making the device a truly commercial article in every respect.

Another advanta e of the construction shown and described is that all the adjustable working parts which a meddlesome person might tamper with, and thus get out of adjustment, are normally concealed. The parts which, in the normal operation of the device, it is necessary to manipulate, will, furthermore, not come into contact with the contents of the dispenser, thereby rendering the dispenser of a highly sanitary nature.

Having thus fully described the invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A condiment dispenser embodying a casing, a partition in the upper' portion thereof, a partition in the lower portion thereof, between which partitions the condiment is normally contained, a discharge duct formed in. the lower partition, which duct is provided with interiorly positioned ribs, and a valve cooperating with the discharge duct, a portion of which valve is provided on its periphery with a pluralit adapted to cooperate with the ri s in the discharge duct to pulverize the condiment during the operation of the valve in dispensing the same, in combination with a valve stem adj ustably secured to the valve, extendin upwardly through the casing, and provi ed at its upper end with a finger-piece extending through an aperture in the top of the casing, whereby pressure on the fingerpiece serves to depress the valve and open the discharge opening, and a spring cooperating with said finger-piece for normally elevating the stem and closing the valve, said spring being housed in the chamber intermediate the upper partition and the top of the casing.

2. A condiment dispenser embodying a casing adapted to contain a condiment, a discharge duct therefor which duct is provided with a plurality of interiorly positioned ribs, a valve cooperating with said discharge duct, which valve is provided on its periphery with a plurality of ribs adapted to cooperate with the ribs in the discharge duct, a stem on said valve, and a finger-piece for operating said stem, in combination with a spring housed within the casing for normally seating the valve, whereby, when the finger-piece is depressed to open the valve. the condiment is ground between the ribs of the valve and discharge duct and delivered in a finely pulverized condition.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

CHRISTOPHER CORNELL.

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